More trouble for Modenga

Francistown City Council former Deputy Mayor, Lechedzani Modenga failed to appear for his bail hearing before Broadhurst Magistrate Court on Friday because of ill health.

The troubled Modenga has three counts of obtaining by false pretense and one for personation to answer for.

State Prosecutor, Oamogetswe Gaboutlwelwe told the court that Modenga was admitted at Princess Marina hospital in Gaborone and therefore could not attend court.

She further asked court to extend his remand warrant until next week Thursday.

Previously, court had heard that the Moselewapula ward councilor on the 8th of May in Gaborone with the intent to defraud claimed to be a transport officer and charged Talent Chipanda P1, 400 for driving a car that was not roadworthy.

It is alleged that Chipanda deposited the said amount in Modenga’s bank account in order for the accused to return his license, which he had illegally confiscated.

In another offence the 48-year-old Modenga allegedly obtained P1, 350 from one Mmoniemeng Motsamai by pretending that he was booking a road test for Motsamai’s son-in- law, which he never did. He further obtained clothes worth P6, 800 from Motsamai claiming he was going to sell them to his co-workers but never did, the charge sheet alleges.

“As a public figure we thought it would not be appropriate for him to be brought to Broadhurst police under escort but we were left with no choice but to arrest him in Tonota at the BDP congress.

We tried to go to his office many times and he was not there. He has paid back the money for the first offence and we have not yet recovered Motsamai’s clothes and money therefore we need more time to do our investigations,” said Marapo

The investigating office further noted that it appears the accused has a bad record of defrauding people, citing another pending case before Francistown Regional Court whereby he owes a furniture shop P41, 000.

In his previous court appearance Modenga had denied that Marapo had looked for him at his officer and did not find him.

The embattled BDP coucillor pleaded with Magistrate, Lilian Madabane to grant him bail because he is a diabetic person who injects himself thrice a day.